[inquiry]

Dealer South, Imps
Vuln. All

S T
H A98642
D QT84
C 96


S AQ54
H Q
D AK72
C AJT7

S N
1D 1H
2S 3D
3N 6D
Pass

Opening lead Diamond 5...

Sure not a great contract, but when you sit down opposite me, you find yourself in need of a bail to keep your boat from becoming swamped. What line would you choose to bring this leaky ship safely to port?

[Erkson]

Hi, Ben.

With the D5 opening lead (or any other opening lead), Deep Finesse says that contract is won even with K and Q of clubs, and K and J of spades in west.

Erkson

[Trpltrbl]

Quote

Dealer South, Imps
Vuln. All

S T
H A98642
D QT84
C 96


S AQ54
H Q
D AK72
C AJT7

S N
1D 1H
2S 3D
3N 6D
Pass

Opening lead Diamond 5...

Sure not a great contract, but when you sit down opposite me, you find yourself in need of a bail to keep your boat from becoming swamped. What line would you choose to bring this leaky ship safely to port?

I am ducking a heart out, who knows maybe the Q mite win 8)
But if not I think I need the hearts to behave to make this. But I have been in worse then this, and gotten lucky so why not now hehe.

Mike ;D

[helium]

i think ill play on s K whit RHO and club Q,K split, adn max 3 c whit rho
spade to q and spade to ruff and c 9 round.
how many down did i go??

[inquiry]

Dlr: East 
Vul: Both
           North
           S T             
           H A98642        
           D QT84          
           C 96            

West              East
S 63              	S KJ9872        
H KT53            	H J7            
D J65              D 93            
C K832            	C Q54           

           South
           S AQ54          
           H Q             
           D AK72          
           C AJT7          


Open Room:

West	North	East	South                                
                 1D    	PASS    
 1H    	PASS     2S    	PASS    
 3D    	PASS     3NT    PASS    
 6D    	PASS    PASS    PASS    

I will not comment on the bidding, but I will make a comment on EAST's great play. The opening lead was D5 to D4 and EAST played the D3!!! This was excellent, because if you win cheaply with the diamond 7 the hand is over and you are down. The winning play involves, 1) getting lucky in spades to handle your heart club loser, 2) setting up long heart. The position of the club honors after this lead are immaterial. Win diamond with ACE, and lead out the heart QUEEN. Should WEST refuse to cover, you are home (as suggested by another poster). When you win the heart ACE, ruff a heart with the DIAMOND KING (this unblocking play is necessary), and then hook DIAMOND JACK on way back, spade hook, diamond to queen, and lead the HEART NINE to force out the TEN. You can transpose a play here or there (hooking spade earlier, for instance), but setting up hearts and hooking spades is only part of the key to the hand. The other key is to get your own diamond honors out of your way by unblocking. East really did play the diamond 3 at my table (I was dummy, lucky for me.... )

An alternative line is to win the diamond TEN at trick one, hook the spade, and play EAST for a club honor as suggested by several people. Use the heart ACE as entry and lead the club nine, if EAST covers, win, cash SPADE ACE, and ruff finesse WEST. Planning on winning 2C, 2C ruff (one with the QUEEN), one spade ruff, 2S, 1H, and 4D (if EAST covers the nine), or to win 3C + 1C ruff, if EAST ducks the spade nine.

Ben